Gujarat gets a full-time DGP after two years

The state government on Monday promoted four additional director generals of police (ADPs) to the rank of DGP. 

The four promoted ADGPs are Chitranjan Singh, Deepak Swaroop, Ahmedabad police commissioner SK Saikia and Amitabh Pathak.

Chitranjan Singh, who was appointed in-charge DGP in September 2010 after the last Gujarat DGP, SS Khandwawala, retired, has now been made full-time DGP of Gujarat.

Singh, a 1976-batch IPS officer, confirmed that he had been promoted and appointed full-time DGP of Gujarat and said that finally his long wait for promotion was over.

Deepak Swaroop, also a 1976-batch IPS officer, has been transferred as Director-General, Home Guard, while the 1977-batch IPS officer Amitabh Pathak has been transferred as DG, anti-corruption bureau.

Swaroop was earlier posted as ADG, SC/ST Cell while Pathak was posted as ADG (police reforms).

Saikia, a 1977-batch IPS officer, continues to be the police commissioner of Ahmedabad even after promotion as DGP. 

The promotion of these officers was pending because of a court
order barring any promotions to the rank of DGP as long as the petition of Gujarat-cadre IPS officer Kuldeep Sharma was not disposed of.

However, the state government was dragging its feet in the matter of promoting the ADGPs to DGP-rank even after the matter was resolved. 

Retired DGP RB Sreekumar had even written a letter to the Prime Minister and the Union home minister to direct the state government to appoint a full time DGP in the state.

The state had seven officers of ADGP-rank, the senior-most being Kuldeep Sharma (1976 batch IPS) who has not been promoted so far. Another senior officer, VK Gupta (1977 batch IPS) is also yet to be promoted. Both are on deputation to the Centre. 

Sharma is currently posted as the ADGP, Bureau of Police Research and Development, New Delhi, while Gupta is on deputation to the CBI.